Transglobalism of Self‐exiled Hindus: The Case of Australia

Abstract

Hindu diaspora is now a global phenomenon, from the early immigrant experience as coolie labourers through the transnational movement of professional Hindus/Indians to many corners of the globe. In this paper, I intend to contextualize Hindu diaspora experience in Australia in the broader theoretical thinking on transnational migration, globalization and heterogeneity. One concern is to understand how distinctive is the religious diaspora experience of Hindus in Australia from those of the international South Asia diaspora. Much literature on South Asians in the West neglect religion, while recent studies disclose the considerable prominence of religion in various communities, especially in comparison with the secularizing tendencies typical of many white societies.

Religious Maintenance and Adaptation: An Example from the South Australian Hindu Diaspora

“…Regional/language groups are also active across diaspora communities, echoing Bilimoria's findings regarding the importance of global diaspora networks (2007). Attendance by members of the Adelaide community was reported at a conference for Marathis living outside India in Boston, in the USA, in 1997.…”

“…The history of Indian migration to Australia has been extensively dealt with by scholars, including Bilimoria (1989Bilimoria ( , 1996Bilimoria ( , 1998 and De Lepervanche (1984), and a history of Indian migration to South Australia was reconstructed from primary sources for a 1994 conference paper (Foster unpublished); however, a brief summary of the major events is required in order to understand the development of the Hindu community. As Hinnells suggests, the profile of the people who came, their motives and circumstancess influences the changes that occur.…”

“…Not only did it disadvantage the Chinese but other individuals termed 'non-white'. Although the application of the policy was diluted in its last two decades of operation, it was not rescinded until the early 1970s and only remnants of the original wave of Indians were present in South Australia prior to the rescission (De Lepervanche 1984;Foster 1994;Bilimoria 1996).…”

“…The most significant group for the development of Hinduism in South Australia, and the last to migrate, consists of those who immigrated as individuals or small family units commencing when the Immigration Restriction Act was less stringently applied in the 1960s (Tinker 1977, pp. 8-9;De Lepervanche 1984;Bilimoria 1996), accelerating during the 1970s and continuing today. These immigrants tend to be urban Indians and, until recently, predominantly professionals.…”